Philippians 4
When life has you stressed, frustrated, and anxious, I want to encourage you to take your concerns and cares to God. Give them to Him, knowing He loves you and will answer you. Allow His peace to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. (Ref. Philippians 1:6, 4:6-7)
There are many times in our lives when we don’t want to be godly. We want to hate, be angry, not forgive, and be outright ugly. We want revenge and show we’re not ‘the one’ to mess around with. We allow our anger to take over and take the lead in our lives, but in these moments, we must set our sights on another way.
Genesis 41:33-36 – Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
After Pharaoh told the two dreams to Joseph, he spoke to Pharaoh on what answer the Lord would provide. In providing the interpretations, he revealed the coming of seven plenteous years and seven years of famine. Joseph stated Pharaoh should look for a discreet and wise man to be placed over Egypt and gather a fifth part of food from the plenteous years in order to prepare for the famine.
In a personal application, the Lord often shows us visions via dreams, people, His Scriptures, etc. Just as Joseph implemented a plan in response to the dreams, we should prepare as well. Many people are looking to receive a ‘word’ from God, but may not do anything to prepare for its coming.
When God shows you what’s to come, make sure you’re ready for it.
Philippians 4:10-13 – But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
1. Throughout our lives, there will be many ‘lemons’ that come our way. The lemons may represent sour relationships, troubling finances, difficult bosses, etc. Maybe we’re impatient with our current situation. We’re in one location and want to be in another. We’re up, when we want to be down…then when we get down, we wished we were up again. We want hot to cold, cold to hot. What we have never seems to be enough.
Philippians 4:6-7 – Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1. Be careful for nothing. This would be a call not to worry about anything, NOTHING. As Jesus said, each day is filled with enough trouble on its own (Matthew 6:34) and we should not worry. One of the reasons why we should not worry is because if we do, we will place ourselves in a continual holding pattern of worry.
Have you ever had a day where hardly anything was going right? Did you find yourself complaining and becoming angry, short-tempered, and even using foul language?
If so, you may have come down with a case of the Grumpies (also known as living in the flesh).
The Grumpies often begin with an event, large or small, that irritates you. It can be the kids, drivers on the road, a co-worker…anything. The Grumpies then spread as multiple events stack on top of one another – often within a short period. By this time (if not already), you’ll discover those symptoms above.
Proverbs 17:22 – A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
One of the cures for the Grumpies is a merry heart. Many times all we need is one shot of SOMETHING (funny, heart-warming, or prayer, etc.) to break our concentration from our fleshly rage. When the Grumpies are coming on, don’t be left to conduct damage control after you’ve allow the grumpy flesh to have its way.
The Grumpies are curable! All things are possible through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).
Photo courtesy of Stock.XCHNG.com/imru2b12
Sometimes no matter how much we try to help others and spin our time and energy to share all we know, they still don’t get it! They want to go their own way and live how they like. If you’re not careful (and watchful), you’ll get mad (really mad) because it seems that they’re treating your hard work and life-giving messages as trash. You feel like you’ve wasted your time. Well, before you go down that road (which you should not go), let’s consider this…
1 Corinthians 3:5-8 – Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
Here, Paul is speaking about the people siding with specific ministers of the gospels, but he writes how he planted the word in the people’s heart, another watered it, but God made the seeds grow.
Philippians 4:8 (KJV) – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Have you ever thought about a situation that upset you? It seems that every time you think about the situation you get madder and madder. Within a few minutes, your stress is high, your anger is surging, and you’re ready to ‘throw down.’ By the time you see the ‘object’ of your anger again, you’re ready to strike. You then do everything in your power to treat them badly and make them pay for what they did. You find yourself acting in a manner that is far from godly and places you in an even worse position. Then you repeat the cycle of thinking and acting again and again – hurting yourself, others, and your witness for Christ.
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